Area Catholics cheer new pope

Leah Johnston, an 11-year-old fifth-grader at All Saints Catholic School in Lewiston, said she and her classmates watched a "smoke cam" live video feed of the election of Pope Francis.

"So we were in music classes and when the smoke came out white everyone kind of exploded," Johnston said. "Everyone was excited."

Johnston is the daughter of Matt and Nancy Johnston of Lewiston.

The students at All Saints were among the millions of Roman Catholics and others worldwide watching the election of the new pope Wednesday.

Johnston said the students had been monitoring a website where Vatican watchers could adopt their favorite cardinal, pray for him and learn more about him as the election process went on.

Her school was rooting for New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Johnston said, but they were excited when Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was announced head of the church.

Johnston said she does not believe that Pope Francis' South American roots will make much difference in the governance of the worldwide church, "but I think he'll be a really good pope."

Sister Clarissa Goeckner, prioress of the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, said she was delighted that a Jesuit - the first ever - was elected pope.

"Just the work the Jesuits have done for the church - their contribution has been unbelievable," Goeckner said. "And the thought that this could be done for the church at large gives me great hope."

Goeckner said she is impressed by the new pope's humility and simplicity of lifestyle.

This indicates he will approach situations in the church - including volatile issues such as the role of women in church leadership, the priest sex abuse scandal, secularism and others - "with respect and reverence, which is the way to bring out the best in people and in their responses," Goeckner said.

She also was pleased to note the pope's inclusivity, asking people of all ages to pray for him and the church.

"I just think he's presented an image that is invitational," the prioress said. "Wouldn't it be great that, as Jesus did, he would be using his pontificate to heal and cure and support and uphold, uplift?"

The Rev. Mark St. Marie of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Moscow said the pope has shown he has the mettle to make decisions and be able to stand up to strong political pressure.

When current Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was elected, St. Marie said, "She tried to run through (issues regarding) same-sex marriage, birth control funding. She's very liberal.

"And so he has that experience on the local level."

St. Marie said he does not think the new pope will seek to change church doctrine or dogma but instead try to explain things to people and help them understand why the church takes the positions it does.

"Lots of times error comes from a lack of information or knowledge," St. Marie said. "So by his history, in Buenos Aires, he's done a great job explaining to people and setting a really good example."

Being from South America, where there has been much political turmoil, also should be an advantage to the new pope in dealing with various world governments and organizations, St. Marie said.

"Basically, almost half of the world's Catholics live in the Americas and so it's an area of great importance in the life of the church, not just in sheer numbers, but a lot of the real parish life takes place in the Americas," he said.

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Hedberg may be contacted at kathyhedberg@gmail.com (208) 983-2326.